Rear-body grille



May 15, 1928.

A. G. HAWKES ET AL REAR BODY GRILLE Filed Oct. 26, 1927 Patented May 15, 1928.

unirse sfmfrss PATENT-- foFFlc "G, `HAMIKESY'ANTD FRANK JA. WRITTEN, 10F DETROIT7 `FMICIHIGfAN,` lASSIGNOliiS `'L10.AKERICN' CAJBiNSDSFOUNiDRYKMO'I-ORS COMPANY, OF 'NEW "YORK, NYY., `.A COR- rom'rmn or iDELAwnnE. l

y nnAmnonY GRrLL'E.

" Application .med oiber 2e, 1927. semi No. :izeaferify The accompanying drawings.illustrate the preferred `form of the invention, though it is 'to be understood that `the invention .isnot limited to the exact details df construction e shown and described; `as it "is obvious 'that various modifications thereof within the sco e o'f the claims will occur to jpersons ski led .in the art.

` :In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear end of la motor vehicle showing the grilleoi' the resent invention attached thereto;

` Fig. 2 is a view ofthe rear of a'mtor vehicle showing the invention. attachedfthereto Fig. 3 is a View ontheline B-Boi'i 'Figa 2; Fig. 4 is a detail `viewoi the attaching bracket;

Fig. '5 is a sectional view on "theline 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. `6 is a fragmentary view Ashowing the joint or connection of adjacent transverse members; and y e Fig. '7 is a perspectiveview of `one ofthe iS-shapedbrackets. I

This `invention relates generally 'to bumpers lfor fmotor vehicles,`.andA particularly ,cornrhends:the provision of arearbodygrille for am'otorfbus orthelike.

Y'One object di the present vinven'tionlis "to :io ,provide area'r.bodygrillefformotor vehicles n formedentirely ofspring metal. U

Another object oftheinvention is theprd vision of a spring metal bumper of grille type which will Eprovide a fprotectionir'or the entire lower port-ion of there'ar end of a motor bus or the like.

A ffurther objectief the invention is to Erolvide .a rear body `grille for a` motor ve-V ile having a hinged "portion whereby to permit the removal or attachment of a spare tire to the vehicle body.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rear bodygrille :for motor ve hicles which is attractive in appearance and which will function as a bumper and which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and strong and durable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a motor bus is shown having a body A suported on the wheels -B and provided with lielt rail 5, (see Fig. 3) and a chassis frame including the side members 3, (see Fig. l).

Means indicated diagrammatically at C `are .provided for supporting a spare tire D at the rear end of thevbus. i

The grille of the presentinvention com,-

'prises upper and lower pairs of spaced.

transverse members 2 formed preferably of sprlngfsteelor Vother like resilient metal,"`the ends ofwhich are benttoprovidc parallel attaching ,portions 2l extending partly along each `sid'e of the vehicle. rllhe extreme ends of these transverse members are rolled to provide eyes 6 shownrn Fig. l by ,which lsaid members `may be pivotally connected'to bracketsV 8 secured ltothe body posts l0 ad jacent the belt rail and chassis side frame reses-3e y members respectively. vvThe construction of the brackets `is 'clearly' shown in Fig. 4;, wherein it can vbe seen uthat the brackets are each ormedivith an attaching portion 12 taking thiebolt LL, and with spaced apertured ears libetween vwhich the eye' is ire ceived; a pin 18 extending through theears 16 and the eye 6 serving lto `pivotally con- .nectfthe transversemember 2.

` S-shapetl spring brackets 19 are secured tothe rearr body posts Q0 by bolts QQorthe like and are `rivet-ed to 'the transverse mem- :bers Q as shown .atn 2410 support the .trans verse members." 'i

Extending. Abetween andy secured toy the transverse members" Qfby rivets 25,` are the upright orverti'cal members 26 which are valso formed of spring .steelor other like resilient metal.

From the 'description justa-bove;:.it`v be vreadily seen that a rear bodygrille A1s pro- *formed Vgenerally oi? spaced vided which lis ers oi spring steel Apairs of transverse `mem or thelike'connected'bya Aplurality'of spring metal upright or vertical members.

The grille of this invention is formed with a hingedly mounted gate or a portion which is readily removable to permit the attachment and removal of the spare tire D; and to effect this construction; each transverse member-2 is preferably formed of end portions 28 and an intermediate portion 30 hingedly secured to the end portions as now described. y

The inner end of each end portion 28 is reduced in width as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and is rolled to form an eye 32, and each end of each intermediate portion 30 is reduced and formed into an eye 34 which is comple mental with the eye 32; the two`eyes 32 and.

34 being connected to form a hinge joint by means of a pin 36 4having a head 37. The lower end of the pin 36 is apcrtured as shown at 38 torreceive a'suitable securing means such as a'cotter pin or the like to prevent accidental displacement of the pin and the resulting breaking of the joint.` i

From the description just above, it is apparent'that the rear body grille of the present invention is provided with a portion which is' removable by taking out the lpins 36 to permit access to the spare tire. It will 4further be apparent that this intermediate portion may be swung on the joints by. removing the pins from one side of this portion, thus providing a swinging gate.

f What is claimed is: i

l. A rear body grille, comprising spaced pairs of transverse members each formed' of end sections and an intermediate section detachably connected to the end sections, attaching means formed at one end of each end section for securing the sections to the body, and ,vertical members connecting said end and intermediate sections and forming a gate between the connected end sections.`

2. A rear body grille for motor vehicles comprising spaced pairs of transverse members each having end sections secured to the vehicle body and an intermediate section hingedly connected to the end sections, and

vertiealmembers ,between and connected toV the end sections and intermediate sections, said intermediate seetions'and the upright members secured thereto forming a gate.

3. Ina motor vehicle, body. posts, end

posts, a chassis frame. and abelt rail, and

a grille comprising oppositely arrangedupper and lower pairs of transverse members extending partly along each side and partly across the rear of the vehicle, said pairs .ofA

transverse members being pivotally connectedat one end to the body posts adjacent the belt rail' and chassis frame respectively, spring brackets secured to the end posts and i to the transverse members `intermediate their ends for supporting said members, vern tical members connecting said pairs of ends of said transverse members to support 6 thellatter, verticaly members' connecting the transverse members, and a gate interposed Abetween the oppositely arranged transverse members and hingedly connected thereto.k

5. In a motor vehicle, body posts, Yand end 6 posts, and a grille fortlie rear end kot' said vehicle comprising oppositely larranged spaced pairs of transverse members secured at one end tothe body posts and extending partly across the rear of the' vehicle, spring 7 brackets secured to thelcnd posts and said transverse members for supporting the latter, vertical members connecting said pairs of transversemembers, and a gate inici'- posed between said transverse membc'rs'and 7l pivotally connected thereto.

6. In a motor vehicle, body posts and end posts, and a grille for the rear end of said vehicle comprising oppositely ar 1anged spaced pairs of transverse members extending partly across the rear and partly along ythe sides of the vehicle, brackets secured to the body posts for pivotally securing one ,end of each oesiiidp-transverse members,

spring bracketsr secured to the bodyf'posts and to said transverse members, for yield- `ingly supporting iSaid members,v vertical members connecting` said pairs of transverse members,`and a gate "interposed between the freev ends of said transverse members and hingedlyconnected thereto.

In `Witness whereof we havek hereunto set our hands.

ARTHURI e. HAWKES. FRANK A. WHITTEN; 

